This weekend we had the Jungle Island overnight. We got to arrive at the park when it was closing, set up our air mattresses and sleeping bags, then had a pizza dinner. After dinner we did some arts and crafts and went on a night time hike through the entire park.

They did a lot of special things, that you would normally not be allowed to do during the day, including visiting the places where you can handle the animals in a one on one environment, and even ride the giant tortoises.

I tried to ask Matthew what his favorite part was, but he just continued going on about the entire trip for hours. So I guess he loved it all…

As most of you know. Me and Matthew have been getting very involved in cub scoutting lately. This is Matthew’s first year, so he is a tiger cub. We already did the Popcorn sales, and Matthew actually raised 10% of the entire pack’s goals.. He did very well selling outside publix and door to door all by himself.

We also recently had our first cub scout camping trip. This was probably the most fun we have had in a long time. Matthew absolutely loved it and wants to go back soon. He got to go canoeing, shoot bb guns and archery, and some arts and crafts.

Finally, we also had his halloween party where he went as a “Mummy Ninja”.

I’m working third shift for the next two weeks, and as I sit here trying to adjust to the overnight schedule, kids asleep upstairs, I just finished watching a movie. For some reason this lit a fire under my ass and I started to look into online workshops for writing.

This is where it all went down hill.. I spent probably 2 or 3 hours comparing Stanford, Gotham, Writing, and a few others. Then I moved on to local colleges and universities and remote sites with programs. I looked up summer retreats, and weekend get aways.

Then it hit me.. In the past 5 years, I have spent probably over 200 hours trying to find the best way to learn to write.. And only maybe 20 or so hours actually writing.

If you haven’t noticed yet.. I deleted the blog. I’ve relized that I have a bunch of huge time sinks.. I’m going to list a few of them, so if you see me disappearing from these, realize that I’m trying to do something better with my life.. And not just avoiding you.

1) This blog.. I haven’t been able to write in it for a while.. Been too concerned with all the eyes reading it and what they might think.. But I’ve got over 400 posts in this thing.. If the averate post is 500 words long.. That’s 20k words. Or 1/4 of a novel. I could have written my novel instead of this thing.

2) Facebook/myspace… I had deleted all of these previously, but I got pulled back in. I’ll probably keep my facebook account, but I’m not going to use it actively anymore, and probably delete everything from it also.. The reason for this is because I want to use it as a communication tool with distant friends, because it rocks at that. But I’ve been using it as a time sink for playing games and such.

3) TV… I get much greater enjoyment from a book or a movie than I get from TV.. So why do I keep watching pointless shows? I do enjoy watching House, 24, and Lost, but they are the same shows every week. Now that they are over, I really am not looking forward to anything, so I think I should just stop.

Unfortunately, I still need to keep the tv/cable for the kids. But for myself, its netflix or books.

So what does this gain me??? I’m hoping this gives me more time to focus on the things I want to do, writing and finding a system for beating the lottery. And more tiem for the things I need to do, like get to the gym and back in some form of Martial Arts.

The first two examples are important for my mental/intellectual health. And the last two are important because I am Tachicardic with High Blood pressure. Mix in my weight and I’m not going to be here much longer(This is doctor’s statement.. And with the chest pains I get, I believe her).

With that being said. I will post on this blog major updates.. Stuff like Savannah’s first date, Matthew’s first time being brought home by the cops, etc.. But no more random useless posts.

So I am working 3rd shift for a short time. And of course that means poor little fluffy animals must be sacrificed. Anyone who remembers last time I worked 3rd shift will remember me complaining about all the animals that chose to commit suicide under my wheels.

Its not that I go looking for these fluffy things. But for some reason when I drive in the wee morning hours, they pick my car to jump out in front of. It usually ends up being about 1 a month when I work 3rd shift.

Tonight, my first night on 3rd shift, marked the first murder in a while.. A little possum thought it could cross the road in front of me.. Instead he learned the gross vehicle weight of my car and how that pressure feels when applied through the tread pattern of my michellen tires.

Lets hope this is the only casulty.. But knowing my luck, there will be at least 2 or 3 more before I get off third shift.

So we have a typhoon headed to tokyo.. From what I understand this is very bad news because typhoons wash up monsters like godzilla and such. So even though no one is scared of the typhoon, they are scared of giant lizards coming out of the typhoon to attack us.

But seriosly, people here see typhoon and they think nothing of it. I have a strange feeling that the way typhoons spin backwards from hurricanes make them much weaker than hurricanes. I describe a few of the hurricanes I’ve been through to people in tokyo and they can’t believe it… They have no concept of a real tropical storm…

I just hope the typhoon doesn’t ruin my chance to to go to sumo this weekend..